Sydney Cup 2023

Ladbrokes Tip: The Chairman’s Handicap has produced more Sydney Cup winners than any other lead-up race

The Sydney Cup is one of four Group 1 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival features held on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick Racecourse on the second Saturday in April* each season.

2022 Sydney Cup Winner Knights Order

2022 Sydney Cup winner Knights Order. Photo: Steve Hart.

*In 2021 the Sydney Cup ran on the third Saturday of April with all race meetings of the autumn in Sydney from Slipper Day onwards postponed a week due to the weather.

The meeting’s headline race is also the The Championship’s richest – the Group 1 $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m). The Sydney Cup is another lucrative clash offering a total of $2 million in prize money including $1.2 million to the Sydney Cup winner.

In 2020 the Sydney Cup prize money was reduced to $1 million with $580,000 for the winner due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned to $2 million for the 2021 edition.

Run over 3200m the two mile classic is held over the same distance as the ‘race that stops a nation’ – the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November in the spring. Stayers in the Sydney Cup field face off under handicap conditions with the lowest handicap weight being 50kgs, or 48kgs for the three-year-olds. Winners of the Chipping Norton Stakes and Tancred Stakes (formerly The BMW) are exempt from Sydney Cup ballot.

The traditional lead-up to the Sydney Cup is the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) run the previous Saturday and that also offers a ballot and penalty exemption for the Group 1 back at the track the following weekend.

The last horse to complete the Chairman’s Handicap – Sydney Cup double was the Gai Waterhouse-trained The Offer (2014).

The 2023 Sydney Cup took place at Royal Randwick on Saturday April 8, 2023 as part of Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ and was won in an upset by the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Explosive Jack ($26). 

Sydney Cup Race Info

  • Date: Saturday April 8, 2023
  • Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
  • Distance: 3200m
  • Conditions: Handicap
  • Status: Group 1
  • Prize Money: $2 million
  • First Run: 1862

2023 Sydney Cup Results

The 2023 Sydney Cup results and finishing order will be confirmed on Saturday April 8, 2023 and announced below as soon as available.

2023 Sydney Cup winner Explosive Jack

2023 Sydney Cup winner Explosive Jack was excellent posting his first win since a Derby double back in 2021. Photo: Steve Hart.

  • 1st: #8 Explosive Jack
  • 2nd: #20 True Marvel
  • 3rd: #2 Knights Order

The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Explosive Jack ($26) was enormous posting an upset in the Sydney Cup 2023 results ahead of triple-figure roughie True Marvel ($151) and the reigning champion Knights Order ($16). Apprentice Dylan Gibbons got a dream run in the two-mile classic to post his first Group 1 success on Explosive Jack who won for the first time since the 2021 ATC Derby – SA Derby double.

Sydney Cup Betting

Sydney Cup betting is led each year by the best performing stayers in the Chairman’s Handicap held only seven days earlier on Day 1 of The Championships.

Horses that ran in the first four in their lead-up runs have a top record in the classic and so always feature highly up the Sydney Cup odds as do gallopers with proven two mile form.

Only four Sydney Cup winners since 1983 have come off a lead-up run outside of Sydney with the former Kiwi-trained mare Etah James (2020) having run fourth in the Auckland Cup across the Tasman, the UK raider Polarisation (2017), Adelaide Cup winner Gallic (2007), and Mr. Prudent (2001) who ran third in a Melbourne Group 3 at Caulfield.

Sydney Cup favourites have a solid record in the race over the past decade with six saluting for the punters from 2005 – 2023 most recently The Offer (2014).

Older gallopers also run well in the race with six seven-year-old winners including Etah James (2020) and Knights Order (2022), one eight-year-old veteran and Who Shot The Barman (2018) winning at nine years of age from 2006 – 2020.

There was a notable upset in 2021 with Selino saluting at 25/1 to hand trainer Chris Waller a fifth win in the two-mile classic.

In 2023 there was another upset with Explosive Jack winning at Sydney Cup odds of $26. He defeated fellow roughies True Marvel ($151) and the previous year’s champ Knights Order ($16) in a lucrative Sydney Cup trifecta.

2023 Sydney Cup Odds

The Sydney Cup 2023 betting odds will be published below as soon as markets on the Group 1 two mile classic are open.

Early market betting odds on the 2023 Sydney Cup will be displayed below once available. Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au.

Sydney Cup Field

Sydney Cup odds were long on the 2015 winner Grand Marshal

Grand Marshal (2015) won at Sydney Cup odds of $41 in an upset autumn Group 1 result. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

The Sydney Cup field attracts the season’s best stayers coming out of the Chairman’s Handicap the previous weekend also held at Randwick.

The Chairman’s Handicap has produced more Sydney Cup winners than any other lead-up race with The Offer (2014) the latest to do the double. Knights Order (2nd in 2022) was the last Sydney Cup winner to come out of the Chairman’s on the quick back-up.

Earlier, Rosehill’s Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2000m) held in March can be a solid Sydney Cup lead-up but Country Tyrone (2006) was the last to do the double.

The Group 3 NE Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Golden Slipper Day is another early Sydney Cup lead-up with The Offer (2014) the last to win both races in the same year.

Victorian gallopers meanwhile may have a lead-up into the Sydney Cup field via the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) in late March.

Sydney Cup nominations close on a Tuesday in early February before first acceptances are taken a month later.

The final Sydney Cup field of acceptors and barrier draw are then out on the Tuesday before the race and often attracts horses that have previous two mile form in races like the Adelaide Cup in March and the spring’s iconic Melbourne Cup.

2023 Sydney Cup Field

The Sydney Cup 2023 field and barrier draw will be announced by Racing NSW on the Tuesday leading-up to race day and published in full below.

The 2023 Sydney Cup final field features a capacity line-up of 20 autumn stayers led in betting by Joseph O’Brien’s Irish raider Cleveland coming off a good first-up run in Australia when fifth at WFA in the Tancred Stakes.

2023 Sydney Cup Nominations

The 2023 Sydney Cup nominations close on Tuesday the 7th of February, 2023. 

The official Sydney Cup 2023 nominations attracted 133 autumn stayers.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 420x70241x AIN’TNODEELDUN G 5 Anthony & Sam Freedman
2 644087340x ALAKAHAN (IRE) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 85
3 0314x7106x ALEGRON G 4 James Cummings
4 344x25x34x ALMANIA (IRE) G 7 Kris Lees 81
5 41x8045x8x AMADE (IRE) G 9 Phillip Stokes
6 6x7x91475x ANGEL (FR) G 5 Ben & JD Hayes
7 13x321311x AQUACADE (NZ) M 4 Lance Noble
8 217123820x ARAPAHO (FR) G 6 Bjorn Baker 103
9 22x412x985 ASEAN LEGEND (IRE) G 4 Chris Waller 67
10 6811x91x ASTERIX (NZ) G 4 Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott
11 4x2162334x ATHABASCAN (FR) H 4 John O’Shea 88
12 15x36x403x BARON SAMEDI (GB) G 6 Joseph O’Brien
13 6x5752911x BASTIDA (NZ) G 4 John Sargent 68
14 422118x BELLATRIX BLACK (NZ) M 4 Kris Lees 84
15 542x64260x BENAUD G 4 John O’Shea 102
16 BOCCHERINI (JPN) H 7 Yasutoshi Ikee
17 317541274x BOYSZEE G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 67
18 1x11121x1x BROOME (IRE) H 7 Aidan O’Brien
19 223x64533x CABOCHE (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller 80
20 x3x051128x CADRE DU NOIR (USA) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 98
21 421x40030x CEPHEUS (GB) G 6 Matthew Dunn 91
22 30x044x91x CHALK STREAM (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 95
23 551x5122x CLEVELAND (IRE) H 5 Joseph O’Brien
24 423215180x COGNAC (IRE) G 6 Richard & Will Freedman 77
25 1213x0706x DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) G 5 Phillip Stokes
26 DILLIAN (IRE) H 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
27 27x641213x DIONYSUS (NZ) G 5 Roger James & Robert Wellwood
28 x21126x59x DUKE OF HASTINGS (NZ) G 4 Simon Zahra
29 x1x701161x DURSTON (GB) G 7 Chris Waller 109
30 x3111x360x EARL OF TYRONE (IRE) G 5 William Haggas
31 3128x3381x EL PATRONESS M 4 Danny O’Brien 104
32 x35x15812x EMISSARY (GB) G 6 Michael Moroney
33 17x134115x ESSENTIAL SKY (NZ) M 5 John Sargent 71
34 13x9500x7x EXPLOSIVE JACK (NZ) G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
35 4x677x777x EXTRA ELUSIVE (GB) G 8 Symon Wilde
36 2222x541x FANTASISING (GB) M 5 Cliff Brown
37 3x31119x8x FATHER’S DAY (IRE) G 5 Bjorn Baker 70
38 5x0111324x FLOATING ARTIST (GB) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
39 54x451214x GEAR UP (IRE) H 5 Annabel Neasham
40 48x064314x GIN MARTINI (NZ) M 4 John Sargent 92
41 97261x078x GLENTANEOUS (IRE) G 5 Anthony & Sam Freedman
42 2310x6545x GLINT OF HOPE (JPN) M 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 98
43 0x1205x51x GLORY DAZE (IRE) H 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
44 x3x335291x GOLD TRIP (FR) H 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
45 x7x5940x4x GRAND PROMENADE (GB) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
46 17x7x442x6 GRENOBLE (GB) G 4 Ben & JD Hayes
47 221x8x2153 HANDSOME (IRE) G 5 Kris Lees 69
48 0x870x938x HELENE LEADINGSTAR G 8 Ben & JD Hayes 85
49 5x8381307x HERMAN HESSE (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
50 25x341613x HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) M 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
51 11x014x38x HINT OF STARS (IRE) G 6 Matt Cumani
52 2x3223180x HOO YA MAL (GB) H 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 101
53 22x171353x IL PARADISO (USA) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 107
54 8024226x4x IN A TWINKLING G 7 Kris Lees
55 3x7154x08x IVY LEAGUE (USA) M 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
56 x142x18x0x KALAPOUR (IRE) G 6 Kris Lees 83
57 2406x1311x KING FRANKEL (IRE) G 5 Mark Newnham
58 KING OF DRAGON (JPN) H 6 Yoshito Yahagi
59 521x13439x KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) G 8 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
60 x8x835593x LE BAOL (FR) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 85
61 054x10172x LE DON DE VIE (GB) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 108
62 1156753x8x LE VILLI (NZ) M 4 Kris Lees 85
63 x80570501x LEADERBOARD (USA) G 8 Mark Walker
64 428120x64x LINCOLN KING (NZ) G 8 Stephen Marsh
65 LIONEL (GB) G 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
66 156x46612x LUNAR FLARE M 7 Grahame Begg
67 8235x2149x LYRICAL LADY (GB) M 4 Kris Lees 68
68 14x112159x MANKAYAN (IRE) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 103
69 41105x897x MEMPHIS (GER) M 6 Michael Moroney
70 431x42847x MIDNIGHT BLUE G 6 John Leek (Jnr) 98
71 3521×42121 MIKASA M 4 John Thompson 69
72 9x041x7x0x MILFORD SOUND (NZ) G 5 Michael Moroney
73 6223330x0x MIMI’S AWARD M 5 Ben & JD Hayes
74 1725x MURAMASA C 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
75 523150x MVITA M 5 Pat Carey 61
76 1x0x00x96x NANCHO (GER) G 8 Archie Alexander
77 512125121x NAVAJO PEAK G 4 David Payne 74
78 2x9248x97x NERVE NOT VERVE (NZ) M 7 Michael Moroney
79 x536107x2x NO COMPROMISE (NZ) G 6 Chris Waller 107
80 8x86410x0x NOONDAY GUN (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
81 2x470x8x8x NORMANDY BRIDGE (FR) G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
82 926x79272x OCEANIC FLASH (NZ) G 5 Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou 71
83 080x02811x OSO SAVVY (NZ) G 6 John Wheeler
84 976340834x OUTLANDOS G 6 John Sargent 84
85 7332x0073x OZ LEGEND (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 67
86 x03436316x PERSAN G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
87 21234x747x PESTO (GB) G 7 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 79
88 1334x11x6x PLAYOFFS (NZ) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
89 12x403513x PRINCESS RHAENYS M 5 Peter G Moody
90 674x15x76x RAGING BULL G 4 David Payne 84
91 x5x81x121x RAISE YOU (IRE) G 7 Joseph O’Brien
92 9x4411x46x REGAL POWER G 7 John Leek (Jnr) 111
93 0x3435111x RIGHT YOU ARE G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
94 0x94530x5x SACRAMENTO G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 99
95 741932311x SARACEN KNIGHT (IRE) G 8 Danny O’Brien
96 x45111511x SAUNTER BOY (FR) G 10 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
97 826x21103x SECRET GLAMOUR M 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 78
98 541x08408x SELINO (GB) G 7 Chris Waller 104
99 11x207x90x SIR LAMORAK (IRE) G 5 Kris Lees
100 1x81x2480x SIR LUCAN (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
101 19x921177x SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
102 31x6211x SO UNUSUAL (NZ) G 4 Tony & Calvin McEvoy
103 x70741335x SOPRANO SUPREME (NZ) M 5 Mark Walker
104 51141x1x6x SOULCOMBE (GB) G 4 Chris Waller 102
105 x46945438x SOUND (GER) H 10 Michael Moroney
106 59x432242x SPINPIX M 7 Diane Poidevin Laine 56
107 4408x0412x SPIRIT RIDGE (GB) G 8 Annabel Neasham 100
108 7x9644188x STOCKMAN (NZ) G 6 Joseph Pride 107
109 1223x0923x STRAWBERRY ROCK (IRE) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 77
110 151471324x SUPAGIRL (IRE) M 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
111 20x155021x SUREFIRE (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 103
112 1600x7522x SWORDS DRAWN G 7 Michael Moroney
113 60738x692x TARAMANSOUR (IRE) G 6 Matt Cumani
114 46x31x47x TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS (IRE) H 4 Joseph O’Brien
115 74x319x64x THIRD REALM (GB) H 5 Anthony & Sam Freedman
116 3x4565x70x TIMOUR (FR) G 5 Chris Waller
117 71x1x6x54x TIP OF THE SPEAR (IRE) G 5 Annabel Neasham 72
118 811x8x601x TORRENS H 6 Marc Chevalier 101
119 x55555066x TRADUCE (NZ) G 6 Michael Moroney
120 3219x7000x TRALEE ROSE (NZ) M 6 Symon Wilde
121 x05725052x TRUE MARVEL (FR) G 7 Matthew Smith 74
122 6x6220151x UNCLE BRYN (GB) G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
123 17x41x UNITED NATIONS (IRE) H 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
124 00x535601x VOW AND DECLARE G 7 Danny O’Brien
125 563x12121x WAHINE TOA M 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
126 21x34x342x WINEGLASS BAY (IRE) G 4 Chris Waller 68
127 1x2410x50x YALETOWN G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 85
128 291x24142x YAPHET G 4 Cliff Brown
129 50x0x1x0x YARRAWONGA (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
130 8435x48x7x YOUTH SPIRIT (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 93
131 x00909702x ZEGALO (IRE) G 6 Mike Cattell 64
132 x4147x000x ZEYREK (FR) G 6 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 93
133 6x4432x11x ZOOM (GB) H 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Sydney Cup First Acceptances

Sydney Cup first acceptances are taken in early March a month after the original nominations and about four weeks out from race day.

The 2023 Sydney Cup first acceptances close at 12:00pm (local Sydney time) on Tuesday the 7th of March, 2023. 

The 2023 Sydney Cup first acceptances are now out featuring 81 of the season’s top stayers with updated markets led by the UK-trained international entry Earl Of Tyrone and Ciaron Maher & David Eustace’s European expat Glory Daze who is two from three down under at time of publish.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight True Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 3x335291x2 GOLD TRIP (FR) H 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 1 59.5kg 59.5kg 117
2 21x13439x8 KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) G 8 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 2 56.5kg 56.5kg 111
3 9x4411x46x REGAL POWER G 7 John Leek (Jnr) 3 56kg 56kg 110
4 x36x403x2x BARON SAMEDI (GB) G 6 Joseph O’Brien 4= 55kg 55kg 108
5 0x535601x2 VOW AND DECLARE G 7 Danny O’Brien 4= 55kg 55kg 108
6 x536107x2x NO COMPROMISE (NZ) G 6 Chris Waller 6= 54.5kg 54.5kg 107
7 x921177x88 SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 6= 54.5kg 54.5kg 107
8 9644188×00 STOCKMAN (NZ) G 6 Joseph Pride 6= 54.5kg 54.5kg 107
9 5x81x1215x RAISE YOU (IRE) G 7 Joseph O’Brien 9 54kg 54kg 106
10 0314x7106x ALEGRON G 4 James Cummings 10= 53kg 53kg 104
11 35x15812x5 EMISSARY (GB) G 6 Michael Moroney 10= 53kg 53kg 104
12 54x451214x GEAR UP (IRE) H 5 Annabel Neasham 10= 53kg 53kg 104
13 41x08408x0 SELINO (GB) G 7 Chris Waller 10= 53kg 53kg 104
14 128x3381x8 EL PATRONESS M 4 Danny O’Brien 10= 51kg 51kg 104
15 5x341613x5 HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) M 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 10= 51kg 51kg 104
16 2x171353x0 IL PARADISO (USA) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 16= 53.5kg 53.5kg 103
17 7123820×77 ARAPAHO (FR) G 6 Bjorn Baker 16= 52.5kg 52.5kg 103
18 27×6412134 DIONYSUS (NZ) G 5 Roger James & Robert Wellwood 16= 52.5kg 52.5kg 103
19 3111x360x1 EARL OF TYRONE (IRE) G 5 William Haggas 16= 52.5kg 52.5kg 103
20 13x9500x77 EXPLOSIVE JACK (NZ) G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 16= 52.5kg 52.5kg 103
21 6x5x080x24 KING OF DRAGON (JPN) H 6 Yoshito Yahagi 16= 52.5kg 52.5kg 103
22 x034363165 PERSAN G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 16= 52.5kg 52.5kg 103
23 6220151×86 UNCLE BRYN (GB) G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 16= 52.5kg 52.5kg 103
24 13×3213111 AQUACADE (NZ) M 4 Lance Noble 16= 50.5kg 50.5kg 103
25 x155021x88 SUREFIRE (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 25= 52.5kg 52.5kg 102
26 42x64260x9 BENAUD G 4 John O’Shea 25= 52kg 52kg 102
27 x7x5940x43 GRAND PROMENADE (GB) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 25= 52kg 52kg 102
28 x112159x03 MANKAYAN (IRE) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 25= 52kg 52kg 102
29 74x319x64x THIRD REALM (GB) H 5 Anthony & Sam Freedman 25= 52kg 52kg 102
30 x81x2480x1 SIR LUCAN (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 25= 51.5kg 50kg 1.5kg 102
31 51141x1x68 SOULCOMBE (GB) G 4 Chris Waller 31= 52kg 52kg 101
32 11x8x601x0 TORRENS H 6 Marc Chevalier 31= 51.5kg 51.5kg 101
33 41x8045x83 AMADE (IRE) G 9 Phillip Stokes 33= 51kg 51kg 100
34 6811×910 ASTERIX (NZ) G 4 Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott 33= 51kg 51kg 100
35 551x51226x CLEVELAND (IRE) H 5 Joseph O’Brien 33= 51kg 51kg 100
36 428120×643 LINCOLN KING (NZ) G 8 Stephen Marsh 33= 51kg 51kg 100
37 41932311×6 SARACEN KNIGHT (IRE) G 8 Danny O’Brien 33= 51kg 51kg 100
38 0x34351111 RIGHT YOU ARE G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 33= 50.5kg 50kg 0.5kg 100
39 x80570501x LEADERBOARD (USA) G 8 Mark Walker 39= 50.5kg 50.5kg 99
40 x94530x534 SACRAMENTO G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 39= 50.5kg 50.5kg 99
41 3x051128x0 CADRE DU NOIR (USA) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 41= 50kg 50kg 98
42 2x9248x972 NERVE NOT VERVE (NZ) M 7 Michael Moroney 41= 50kg 50kg 98
43 4147x000x1 ZEYREK (FR) G 6 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 41= 50kg 50kg 98
44 406x1311x1 KING FRANKEL (IRE) G 5 Mark Newnham 44= 50kg 50kg 97
45 1x42847x44 MIDNIGHT BLUE G 6 John Leek (Jnr) 44= 50kg 50kg 97
46 10x6545x09 GLINT OF HOPE (JPN) M 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 46= 50kg 50kg 96
47 1600×75221 SWORDS DRAWN G 7 Michael Moroney 46= 50kg 50kg 96
48 30x044x918 CHALK STREAM (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 48 50kg 50kg 95
49 435x48x742 YOUTH SPIRIT (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 49 50kg 50kg 93
50 8x064314x6 GIN MARTINI (NZ) M 4 John Sargent 50= 50kg 50kg 92
51 2x470x8x80 NORMANDY BRIDGE (FR) G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 50= 50kg 50kg 92
52 0x1205x511 GLORY DAZE (IRE) H 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 52= 50kg 50kg 88
53 1105x897x0 MEMPHIS (GER) M 6 Michael Moroney 52= 50kg 50kg 88
54 2162334×85 ATHABASCAN (FR) H 4 John O’Shea 54 50kg 50kg 87
55 x8381307x7 HERMAN HESSE (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 55 50kg 50kg 86
56 8x835593x5 LE BAOL (FR) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 56 50kg 50kg 85
57 44087340×0 ALAKAHAN (IRE) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 57= 50kg 50kg 84
58 2x318x3x LIONEL (GB) G 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 57= 50kg 50kg 84
59 74x15x7677 RAGING BULL G 4 David Payne 57= 50kg 50kg 84
60 45111511×6 SAUNTER BOY (FR) G 10 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 57= 50kg 50kg 84
61 x707413350 SOPRANO SUPREME (NZ) M 5 Mark Walker 61 50kg 50kg 82
62 344x25x343 ALMANIA (IRE) G 7 Kris Lees 62 50kg 50kg 81
63 x057250523 TRUE MARVEL (FR) G 7 Matthew Smith 63 50kg 50kg 79
64 3x64533x68 CABOCHE (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller 64= 50kg 50kg 78
65 x4565x7043 TIMOUR (FR) G 5 Chris Waller 64= 50kg 50kg 78
66 21234×7479 PESTO (GB) G 7 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 66 50kg 50kg 77
67 1725×90 MURAMASA C 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 67 49kg 49kg 76
68 416x486x DILLIAN (IRE) H 4 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 68= 50kg 50kg 74
69 x86410x002 NOONDAY GUN (GB) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 68= 50kg 50kg 74
70 46x31x47x TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS (IRE) G 4 Joseph O’Brien 68= 50kg 50kg 74
71 80x02811x8 OSO SAVVY (NZ) G 6 John Wheeler 71= 50kg 50kg 72
72 11x207x90x SIR LAMORAK (IRE) G 5 Kris Lees 71= 50kg 50kg 72
73 x134115x60 ESSENTIAL SKY (NZ) M 5 John Sargent 73= 50kg 50kg 71
74 7332×00731 OZ LEGEND (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 73= 50kg 50kg 71
75 5555506643 TRADUCE (NZ) G 6 Michael Moroney 75 50kg 50kg 70
76 3x31119x86 FATHER’S DAY (IRE) G 5 Bjorn Baker 76 50kg 50kg 69
77 17541274×5 BOYSZEE G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 77 50kg 50kg 67
78 5752911×78 BASTIDA (NZ) G 4 John Sargent 78 50kg 50kg 66
79 50x0x1x0x YARRAWONGA (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 79 50kg 50kg 65
80 0090970234 ZEGALO (IRE) G 6 Mike Cattell 80 50kg 50kg 63
81 59×4322426 SPINPIX M 7 Diane Poidevin Laine 81 50kg 50kg 55

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Sydney Cup Tips

Sydney Cup tips favour proven stayers with good lead-up form at Randwick or Rosehill, especially those that ran well in the previous weekend’s Chairman’s Handicap.

Horses carrying between 52kg and 55.5kg also make for a top Sydney Cup tip with only two winners since 2000 carrying more than that to victory with Gallic (56kg in 2007) and Mourayan (58kg in 2013).

Three-year-olds have poor form in the race with just two wins since 1983 most recently Tie The Knot (1998) for his first, while the last mare to win was Jessicabeel (2010).

2023 Sydney Cup Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Sydney Cup 2023 betting tips and exotic selections on the two mile autumn classic will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned for the stayers to back and sack in this year’s Sydney Cup trifecta.

  • To Win: #12 High Emocean ($17 at time of publish) 

Going for an upset in the Sydney Cup, which isn’t uncommon in this two-mile autumn classic, and have the underrated Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Ocean Park mare High Emocean on top at any old price of 16/1 (at time of publish). Rated here the roughie of the race in the Melbourne Cup at this distance in the spring, and she was huge finishing third to Gold Trip. Strange to have her turning the tables, but the weights suit her again. She’s rock-hard fit fourth-up and on the quick back-up after her fourth to Surefire in last Saturday’s Group 2 Chairman’s Quality. Down from 56kg there to 51kg. Needs to slot in from that wide alley, but think she can surprise quite a few of these at a big price if she gets the right run.

Sydney Cup Form Guide

The Sydney Cup form guide gives punters all the information they need pre-betting including the trainers, jockeys, weights and barriers for all the horses in the field.

Looking at the Sydney Cup lead-up form is important with gallopers that finished top four in their final lead-up runs dominating the race, while the Chairman’s Handicap is the best form line for the two mile showdown.

Trainer Chris Waller has prepared five Sydney Cup winners in the past decade with Stand To Gain (2011), Grand Marshal (2015), Who Shot Thebarman (2018), Shraaoh (2019) and Selino (2021).

Jim Cassidy is the leading Sydney Cup jockey with three winning rides to date including on the Chris Waller-trained 40/1 roughie Grand Marshal (2015).

The 2022 Sydney Cup form was franked with Knights Order coming back that spring to place third in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

Sydney Cup Form Facts

  • The only Sydney Cup winners to finish worse than fourth in their lead-up run since 2006 are Stand To Gain (2011) and Explosive Jack (Tancred Stakes 10th in 2023).
  • Only five mares have beaten the boys in the Sydney Cup results in the past 30 years most recently Etah James (2020) and Jessicabeel (2010) a decade apart.
  • Five-year-olds won seven of the editions of the Sydney Cup from 2011 – 2023 most recently Explosive Jack (2023).
  • In the years from 2008 – 2023 five favourites in Sydney Cup betting saluted for the punters.
  • The longest priced Sydney Cup winners in the past 30 years were Just A Dancer ($41 in 1991) and Grand Marshal ($41 in 2015).
  • Barrier eight has produced the most Sydney Cup winners (since 1983) with 10.

2023 Sydney Cup Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Sydney Cup 2023 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Sydney Cup Records

Below we take a look at some of the Sydney Cup race records like what horse has run the fastest time in the Sydney Cup.

Sydney Cup Race Record: Apollo Eleven (1973) and Just A Dancer (1991) currently co-hold the Sydney Cup winning time record of 3:19.90.

Heaviest Weight Carried to Victory (since 1970): My Good Man (60kg in 1978)

Lightest Weight Carried to Victory (since 1970): Palace Revolt (48.5kg in 1989)

Sydney Cup Results

Sydney Cup results in the past 10 years have been dominated by the favourites.

The longest priced Sydney Cup winners in that time however were Explosive Jack ($26 in 2023), Selino ($26 in 2021), Grand Marshall ($41 in 2015) and Stand To Gain ($21 in 2011) so upsets are also not uncommon.

Some of the most noteworthy Sydney Cup winners in the past 30 years include The Offer (2014), Jessicabeel (2010) and Makybe Diva (2004).

Past Sydney Cup Winners

Recent Sydney Cup winners and place-getters going back to 2000 are detailed in the below table.

Year Winner 2nd 3rd Time
2023 Explosive Jack True Marvel Knights Order 3:26.9
2022 Knights Order Sheraz Daqiansweet Junior 3:32.2
2021 Selino Rondinella Miami Bound 3:23.1
2020 Etah James The Chosen One Raheen House 3:28.4
2019 Shraaoh Vengeur Masque Glory Days 3:22.0
2018 Who Shot Thebarman Zacada Sir Charles Road 3:20.0
2017 Polarisation Who Shot Thebarman Big Duke 3:29.1
2016 Gallante Libran Grand Marshal 3:24.5
2015 Grand Marshal Who Shot Thebarman Like A Carousel 3:24.7
2014 The Offer Opinion Sertorius 3:23.8
2013 Mourayan Norsqui Aliyana Tilde 3:24.2
2012 Niwot Efficient Once Were Wild 3:20.4
2011 Stand To Gain Older Than Time Solid Billing 3:29.1
2010 Jessicabeel Divine Rebel Harris Tweed 3:21.8
2009 Ista Kareem Divine Rebel Mr Tipsy 3:27.4
2008 No Wine No Song Pentathon Lang 3:25.5
2007 Gallic Irazu No Wine No Song 3:27.3
2006 County Tyrone Zabeat Three Chimneys 3:22.6
2005 Mahtoum County Tyrone Philosophe 3:27.6
2004 Makybe Diva Manawa King Mummify 3:21.2
2003 Honor Babe County Tyrone Grey Song 3:30.5
2002 Henderson Bay Mr. Prudent Spirit of Westbury 3:26.7
2001 Mr. Prudent Prophet’s Kiss Starina 3:26.9
2000 Streak Sharscay Ears’ Ronny 3:30.3